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WWE has been the biggest company showcasing some of the best male and female talent in the world on one stage for decades. The results have been a product which has been unmatched thus far, and the men and women in the company work hard day and night to ensure that it remains the same.
For years we have seen the male wrestlers dominate the stage while the women have mostly been seen as pretty faces who attract the crowd but do not have much to offer in the ring. However, things have changed in the past few years as the women's division has come at par with the men in terms of talent and skills and have even outshined them on several occasions.
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Even though WWE has drifted away from intergender wrestling matches, the women still managed to pull the spotlight onto themselves in the past five years. In 2018, women were able to take all this much further and they achieved a lot more than many would have imagined five years ago.
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At the end of the year, it seems like the women of WWE finally managed to rule the company and lead a revolution. Take a look at the five reasons that made 2018 the year of women in WWE.
#5 Women’s Royal Rumble and Evolution pay-per-view
2018 was a very special year for the female superstars for two very big reasons. First of all, we saw the inaugural women’s Royal Rumble match take place which was a step in the right direction. 30 women from the current roster stepped up with some of the legends from the past and became part of a historical event where they entered the ring to win a title shot against any one of the two brand’s champion.
At the end of the first Women's Royal Rumble, we saw The Empress of Tomorrow Asuka come out on top and earn an opportunity for the Smackdown Women's Championship. Secondly, the first-ever women’s pay-per-view event called Evolution was announced in July 2018. The thought behind it was to take the women’s revolution a big step further.
The event hosted a 20-women battle royal match and also saw all four top championships of the women’s roster being defended on the same night. The 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament final also took place at the event and saw Toni Storm win the tournament against the Japanese-born Io Shirai.
#4 In-ring return of female legends
When Stephanie McMahon announced the Evolution event in July 2018, fans and wrestlers were excited that an all women pay-per-view was set to take place. However, it wasn’t just the event that excited the fans, as there were many big female wrestling names which were soon revealed for the event.
We saw the return of arguably the best women in WWE’s history Trish Stratus and Lita return for a tag team match against Mickie James and Alicia Fox. The match was a good one for the fans who got to see some of the best female superstars in WWE history compete together in the ring.
Not only that, but even the Bella Twins made their return which was mostly to create hype around the event. Nikki Bella took on Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women’s Championship in a losing effort.
Earlier in the year, the first ever women’s Royal Rumble match saw stars such as Lita, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly, Michelle McCool, Beth Phoenix, and Trish Stratus return among many others to the ring to entertain fans.
#3 They headlined 2 annual PPVs
Headlining a pay-per-view event is for the big league superstars. If you are chosen for this task, then you are definitely doing something right and destined for a lot of success. Women do not main event pay-per-views very often because of the existence of more popular male superstars. However, not only did the women of WWE headline the all-women pay-per-view event Evolution, but they also headlined the first and the last pay-per-view event of the year, Royal Rumble and Tables, Ladders, and Chairs to close out the year.
Three of WWE’s biggest female superstars Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Asuka took to the ring to headline TLC in a triple-threat tables, ladders, and chairs match. This was a big achievement for all the three women involved and all the women in the locker room. Not only did Charlotte, Becky, and Asuka headline the event, they also gave the fans one of the best matches of the year while doing so.
During the Royal Rumble 2018 event, we saw the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match headline the event which also saw the arrival of Ronda Rousey to the company at the end of it. This may have been a test by the WWE to see how well the women can do and could point towards the first time women will headline a WrestleMania event very soon.
#2 Ronda Rousey took over Raw
Who would have thought that after making her debut at WrestleMania 34, Ronda Rousey would become the biggest star of the flagship brand at the end of the year? The former UFC Champion defied all odds and all criticism to transform into a decent wrestler at the beginning of the year who became one of the better wrestlers at the end of the year.
While in the company of established male superstars like Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Braun Strowman, it was Ronda Rousey who came out as the biggest star of the red brand at the end of the year. She won the Raw Women’s Championship almost instantly and has held it since with some good matches.
Becoming the face of the brand is a big achievement, even for a star like Ronda, as males have usually been the biggest stars on both the brands. Even with the falling ratings of Raw at the end of the year, Ronda continued to deliver and put on some good matches with other female superstars.
#1 Becky Lynch became ‘The Man’
The most iconic moment of 2018 was arguably the transformation of Becky Lynch. For years Lynch had been trying to get what she deserves in the company, and 2018 proved to take her very close to it. After turning heel on her friend Charlotte, Becky ensured she cashed in on her new character and took it further than anyone would have expected.
She won the SmackDown Women’s Championship for the second time and went on a full on war of words with the Baddest Women on the Planet Ronda Rousey. Becky’s persistence and hard work paid off as she became the biggest star of the year in the eyes of the WWE Universe who have even gone on to compare her to WWE legend 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin.
Apart from that, Becky led the attack on Raw’s locker room before Survivor Series and stood tall at the end of it, marking a new high for the women’s roster of both the brands. Saying that Becky literally led the revolution of the women’s roster in 2018 will definitely not be taken negatively.
